For many people, it can be difficult to stand up from a chair. For example, the elderly and people with physical ailments or disabilities may not have the strength or coordination to properly lift themselves out of a chair. To address this problem, power operated lift chairs that transition from a resting position to a standing position may help people easily stand up.
Power operated lift chairs are necessarily configured to move the occupant of a chair in a safe manner. If a power operated lift chair cannot safely transition an occupant from a resting position to a standing position, then it could potentially harm the occupant. Also, a lift chair with a faster transition speed may startle an occupant as the chair aggressively begins transitioning to a standing position at too fast a rate. To improve safety and comfort, lift chairs generally operate at slow lifting speeds.
A slow lifting speed, however, can be trying to an occupant or present a problem for those that may need to exit the chair in a faster manner (e.g., in the event of an emergency, answering the telephone, or going to the restroom). For example, a slow lifting speed might force the occupant into a certain compromised standing position for a prolonged period of time while the chair transitions between positions. Therefore, there is a need to operate lift chairs faster in transition to a standing position that also provides a safe experience for the occupant.